Fani-Kayode Slams Jingir over Unrepentant Anti-Christian Remarks

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has criticised Islamic cleric Sheikh Sani Jingir over his refusal to apologise for comments he allegedly made about Christians and his continued advocacy for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.

Fani-Kayode, in a statement posted on his verified X account on Thursday night, described Jingir’s stance as unfortunate, arguing that the cleric had brought considerable criticism upon himself despite the respect ordinarily accorded to religious leaders.

Jingir, Chairman of the Ulama Council of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’ikamatis Sunnah, recently maintained that he had no regrets about his long-standing support for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket. His position followed controversy over remarks he reportedly made at a mass wedding ceremony in Kano, where he was accused of making disparaging statements about Christians.

The comments have drawn condemnation from several quarters, including the National Human Rights Commission, the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.

Reacting, Fani-Kayode commended the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, for calling on Christians and Muslims to refrain from insulting one another, describing the intervention as “fatherly counsel” from a respected traditional and religious leader.

He said Jingir’s declaration that he had “no regrets” over his remarks was deeply troubling, particularly given his position as a religious leader.

Fani-Kayode also claimed that he had spoken with four Northern governors, including one who attended the Kano event, and alleged that they were all disturbed by Jingir’s comments about Christianity.

“I am a Nigerian Christian and I deserve to be respected for who and what I am, just as every Nigerian Muslim deserves to be respected for who and what he is,” he said.

The former minister said he would nevertheless remain restrained despite what he described as Jingir’s refusal to show remorse. He accused the cleric of referring to Christians as infidels, insisting that Christians should be “put in their place,” describing Nigeria as a Muslim country and telling Christians who were uncomfortable with a Muslim-Muslim ticket to leave the country.

Fani-Kayode also rejected Jingir’s reported claim that members of the Maitatsine sect were Christians in disguise. He described the assertion as false, recalling the violence associated with the sect in Kano during the 1980s.

Addressing the issue of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, Fani-Kayode said Christians who supported the arrangement during the 2023 presidential election did not do so because they considered Christianity inferior to Islam.

According to him, their support was based on the belief that competence, rather than religious affiliation, should determine political leadership.

He argued that Jingir had misunderstood the position of Christians who supported the ticket, stressing that Christianity and Islam should be regarded as equal faiths and that religious belief was ultimately a matter of individual choice.

“I cannot be Jingir’s footmat just because I am a Christian or because I am in APC,” Fani-Kayode said.

He further argued that Jingir’s comments had damaged rather than advanced the cause of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, saying the controversy had generated greater opposition to the political arrangement.

Fani-Kayode also said he would not associate with anyone he believed promoted religious hatred, declaring that Nigeria had moved beyond the kind of religious intolerance reflected in Jingir’s alleged remarks.

He warned that religious extremism and intolerance could threaten peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims, noting that adherents of both faiths worship one God.

According to him, Christians across Nigeria had been offended by Jingir’s comments, and while he welcomed the support expressed by some Muslim leaders, he said further action was necessary.

Fani-Kayode consequently called on the Sultan of Sokoto and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to publicly caution the cleric, warning that failure to address the matter could further deepen religious tensions in the country.